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| Our Equal Exchange Team at our 2014 Event |
Over three years ago when I first learned about the conflict in Congo, and how my use of electronics products gave me leverage to do something about it, I didn't yet fully understand that I would become a part of something which would actually have impact.
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| Dedicated Volunteers |
And so, it is with a thankful heart that I embark on the sponsorship journey with all of you, my fellow supporters. Over the course of the next year I will send and post monthly snippets about the 14 women we are sponsoring. In order to protect their privacy photos will only be sent via my newsletter, and so should you wish to receive the more detailed newsletter updates, please subscribe via my webpage (click "subscribe" on the bottom right of the page).
You will also have the opportunity to correspond with the sisters. To send a message of encouragement and support simply email me at: amandapdxrunforcongo@gmail.com.
I encourage you to take the time to do so as Women for Women International has been told time and time again by their program participants that messages from their sponsors provide hope and encouragement beyond measure, and provide a sense of togetherness during times of loneliness.
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| Some of our runners on 3.8.14 |
Should we receive responses from our sisters (it can take quite some time to receive responses due to the logistics involved on their end living in more rustic places), I will of course pass those along in my blog and monthly newsletter as well.
Meet 2 of The Sisters
That said, please meet Sisters Maria & Kate.
Maria: is married with 6 children
Kate: is single with 1 child
Their Journey*
*(The following is from an update I received from Women for Women International)
Maria, Kate and our other 12 sisters are now finishing their fourth month of training.
In the last few months, the sisters have been in health and wellness classes. We (WfWI) believe that women cannot be active members of their communities if they are not well, both physically and emotionally. Over the next several months, our sisters will continue to learn methods of prevention and treatment of key health issues for themselves and her family members.
Health is a human right. Our sisters class will focus on the concept of health as an essential human right. This is a crucial starting point for women who live in areas where poor nutrition and preventable diseases are a part of everyday life. She will learn basic skills, nutritional information, sanitation and disease prevention.
Coping with post-traumatic stress disorder. Many of the women we work with are survivors of great violence, suffering and loss.
In DRC, at least 5.4 million people have died as a result of conflict and its consequences since 1998. With rape used as a weapon of war, an estimated 48 women are raped every hour in the DRC, resulting in about 1.8 million women having been raped.
This may be the first time they are able to discuss and deal with the trauma that they have been living with. Your sister will learn to recognize stress as a normal reaction to the events she has experienced, develop tools for coping with her symptoms, and be given access to resources for additional help if needed.
Protect yourself and your family. Your sisters will learn about communicable diseases, sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS, sexual reproductive health, mental health and environmental health. In addition, they will learn about pregnancy, infant care, family planning and hygiene. When a woman is healthy, she can focus on healing and learning as she moves forward in our program.
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Amanda Ulrich
Team Congo PDX Founder
Women for Women International Volunteer Ambassador
amandapdxrunforcongo@gmail.com
